It is weird the disconnect you start to feel when you haven't been to your home church in a while. We are usually pretty regular when it comes to attending church. Both Susie and I were raised with and taught the importance of attending church each week.
It has been a weird series of reasons (at least for us) that have prevented us from attending our home church, Exile Presbyterian Church. The first week we were out of town for a few days. The second week we were at Covenant Presbyterian Church giving a presentation about our journey to White Swan. The third week we were actually in White Swan. And now this week, I'm home sick. Lord willing, I'll be there next week.
I'm always a bit surprised about how often people miss Sunday church services. For seemingly inconsequential reasons.
It is hard for me not to think about the following verses:
Romans 10: 17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." The context makes it pretty clear this is by hearing the word preached.
Hebrews 12:22-24 "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." This is taken as a reference that when the people of God gather together for worship, through the Spirit, they are actually gathering together with the heavenly hosts, worshiping our God together.
We also have Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
When I look back on it now, we've actually gone to church 2 of those 4 weeks. But there is something about sitting beside the body of believers of your church that you are a member, singing hymns, praying, hearing the Word preached, partaking communion together that when it is not done with those same believers it seems like we haven't really gone to church. You'd almost think God made it that way or something.
I'm going to miss Exile Presbyterian.
I absolutely know what you mean. I even feel this on a week like last week where I was in the nursery. I miss communion, the preached word, worshiping in song and corporate prayer and many people I would normally connect with before or after. Missing a week is such a rare thing for me and my soul feels it keenly.
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